Traffic Fatality Puako 11/09/99

A 23-year-old Kohala man died Tuesday morning, (November 9, 1999), following a head-on collision that occurred on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, (Route 19) near the 70-mile marker in the Puako area. This was the second traffic-related fatality of the day, with an earlier fatal accident occurring in Hilo.

The victim is identified as Jeremy Serrano of Kohala Estates.

Responding to a 10:25 a.m. accident call, police officers determined that Serrano’s 1996 Nissan sedan was heading southbound on Route 19, when it crossed the centerline and collided with a 1987 Dreyer’s Ice Cream truck. The collision caused the truck to overturn on its side.

Fire rescue personnel transported Serrano to the North Hawaii Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. The driver of the truck, Clayton Fung, 23, of Papaaloa, was also transport to the Hospital but was later treated and released for his injuries.

The accident caused a partial closure of Queen Kaahumanu Highway for a period of four hours.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers are continuing the investigation into the accident and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Serrano’s death was the 28th traffic fatality so far this year, compared to 34 at the same time last year.